


Unexpected

by PumpkinSparks8616



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Hale Fire, Dad!Derek, Doctor!Stiles, Erica and Jackson are Derek's kids, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-09-16
Updated: 2014-01-27
Packaged: 2017-12-26 18:56:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,044
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/969135
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PumpkinSparks8616/pseuds/PumpkinSparks8616
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There were not many things that sent shivers of fear down Derek’s spine anymore. Jackson screaming was one of them. </p><p>“DAD! DAD! SOMETHING’S WRONG WITH ERICA!” Derek couldn’t remember a time he had moved faster in his life, in less than three seconds he was out of his bedroom and down the stairs to where Erica and Jackson had been playing before bedtime.<br/>Jackson was bent over his sister whining at her, she was pale and shaking violently. </p><p>Single dad Derek Hale hadn't expected that one of the worst nights in his life could lead to so much more. </p><p>When he takes his daughter Erica to hospital after her first seizure he meets pediatrician Stiles Stilinski who somehow (through bribery and candy) manages to worm his way into their lives.</p><p>What happens Erica and Jackson's mother makes a reappearance and tries to tear their family apart.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Lollipops

There were not many things that sent shivers of fear down Derek’s spine anymore. Jackson screaming was one of them.

“DAD! DAD! SOMETHING’S WRONG WITH ERICA!” Derek couldn’t remember a time he had moved faster in his life, in less than three seconds he was out of his bedroom and down the stairs to where Erica and Jackson had been playing before bedtime.

Jackson was bent over his sister whining at her, she was pale and shaking violently. Derek shot to the ground carefully pulling Jackson away from her. Somewhere in the back of his mind he remembered something about not moving someone during a seizure, and despite every instinct telling him otherwise he kept his distance.

“DAD! WHAT’S HAPPENING!?” Jackson screamed, his claws lengthening and digging into Derek’s shoulder.

“I… I don’t know!” Derek panicked clutching his son tighter, “Jackson I need my phone. I need to ring the hospital; can you get my phone for me? Please Jackson!”

Jackson looked between Erica and his Dad before nodding tightly and running in the direction of the bedroom. Derek moved closer to Erica, she was still in the midst of the seizure, how long had it been now? Two minutes? Four? Ten? Derek couldn’t have told anyone, it felt like hours that he sat there unable to hold his baby. Jackson was back in less than a minute Derek’s cell clutched so tightly in his hand that it had claw marks.

Derek took it quickly and pulled Jackson away from Erica even as he dialled 911.

“911 emergency, what’s your emergency?” A calm female voice asked.

“I-I need an ambulance! My daughter! She’s having a fit or something!” Derek yelled into the phone.

“Okay sir, first I need you to calm down. Is this the first seizure she’s had?”

“Yes, I don’t know what to do!” Derek growled.

“Okay, what’s your location?” The voice asked.

“Apartment 20, in the new complex, between fourth and seventh.” Derek snapped.

“Okay sir, an ambulance is on the way. Do you know how long she’s been in the seizure?”

“About…” Derek looked at the clock desperately; he had got out of the shower at half past, and had just finished dressing… “Five minutes, maybe longer, I wasn’t in the room when it started.”

“Alright, the EMTs will be there in approximately ten minutes, do you want me to stay on the phone with you until then?”

“I just… I don’t know what to do! Do I hold her? Or maybe put something in her mouth? I remember somewhere about not doing that, but I might be wrong.” Derek ran a hand threw his hair before resting it on Jackson’s head, his son was whimpering into his shoulder.

“No, no, no, don’t do that. It might break her teeth. The best thing to do is to let the seizure run its course so long as she’s in no danger of injuring herself from any sharp edges.” The woman explained and Derek nodded taking a few deep breaths. “I’m sure everything will be fine sir, just stay calm. The EMTs will be there in a few minutes now.”

“… I think she’s coming out of it!” He rasped out as Erica’s body finally stopped shaking. “She’s out cold, but I think the seizure’s stopped.”

“Okay, that’s a good thing; do you know the recovery position?”

“I…no, I don’t.” Derek felt his breathing increase as he started to panic.

“Don’t worry all you need to do is put the arm that is closer to you at a right angle to her body,” Derek did so quickly and gently, putting Jackson down as he did. “Now, put the back of her other hand on the opposite cheek, that’s to support her head okay?”

“Yeah, I’ve done that.” Derek said, stroking Erica’s mess of blonde hair away from her head as he did so.

“Brilliant, now bend the leg furthest away from you and gently roll her towards you, onto her side.” Derek pulled her gently and noticed quickly how much easier her breathing became almost instantly. There was a loud banging at the door.

“EMTs, we had a call about a girl having a seizure!?” A voice called through the door.

“Jackson go let them in quickly!” Jackson ran over to the door, letting them a man and a woman inside. Derek remembered that he was on the phone. “The EMTs are here, thank you so much for everything.”

“Don’t worry about it, you just think about your little girl okay?” Derek thanked them again before hanging up.

“Okay Sir, was this her first seizure?” The man asked and Derek nodded. “Okay, what we are going to do is take her to hospital, they’ll check her over and I imagine they’ll run some tests. They might want to keep her overnight but that’ll be up to the doctors. Is that okay?”

Derek nodded quickly, “Yes, yes, can I ride in the ambulance with her?”

“Of course.” The woman said softly as they began strapping Erica to a board. “Is there anyone you want to call? A family member maybe?”

“My sister… I’ll call my sister when we get to the hospital.” Derek said. Laura would help; Laura always seemed to know what to do. It was what would make her a good Alpha one day.

“That’s fine.” The EMT turned to Jackson who had tears streaming down his cheeks and was now fully wolfed out, but thankfully the EMTs didn’t seem to care. The man patted Jackson’s head softly, “Now little man, you want to help us get your sister sorted out? I tell you what, how about you put the lights on for her?”

“Really?” Jackson hiccupped and the man nodded. “…Okay.”

“Right, we’re ready to go, if you would follow us down then?” The woman asked and Derek nodded picking Jackson up in one arm and keeping his other on Erica’s wrist, feeling her pulse, reminding him that she was alive, and would be okay.

The ride in the ambulance seemed to take forever, after Jackson had pressed the button to turn on the lights, he buried his face into Derek’s neck and kept it there. Derek held onto his son tightly all the while never letting go of Erica’s wrist. The EMTs tried to make conversation a few times but Derek couldn’t answer them, his heart was in his throat and his eyes were burning. Growing up in a werewolf family he hadn’t ever thought about needing to know stuff like the recovery position, and even after Erica and Jackson were born and finding out Erica was born human he hadn’t thought about it. She had always been healthy before this.

“We’re here.” Finally they arrived at the hospital and Erica was carried onto a gurney before they wheeled her away, Derek at their heels. Before Derek knew what was happening there were a bunch of doctors crowded around his daughter checking her heart, her breathing, her temperature. His wolf snarled at having anyone so close to his daughter when she was hurt but he knew rationally that they wouldn’t hurt her so he concentrated for the moment on trying to keep Jackson calm, even though Jackson could definitely smell the panic on him.

Eventually the preliminary tests were over it seemed and just as they were Erica started to come around.

“…D-Dad?” She whimpered and Derek hurried closer making sure she could see him.

“Hey Sweetheart, don’t worry, everything’s fine.” He soothed stroking her hair away from her forehead as she frowned; taking in the hospital and doctors, and then her eyes fell to Jackson who was still clinging to Derek’s neck.

“What’s the matter Jackson?” She murmured and Jackson looked up. Derek glanced at the doctors for permission before placing Jackson on the bed next to his sister. Almost instantly Jackson’s wolf resided and he curled around her.

“You were shaking really bad.” He muttered and Erica frowned.

“…Don’t remember…” Derek shushed her as she started to panic.

“It’s okay, I bet that’s normal. Don’t worry, we’re at the hospital and the doctors are going to make you better okay?” Erica nodded slowly before closing her eyes and resting her head against Jackson’s.

“Tired.”

“Okay, you get some rest. I’m going to call Auntie Laura okay?” He received two nods. “Jackson, look after your sister okay? I’m just going to be over there.”

Derek looked at the nurse still left with them and she had long curly hair and warm brown eyes, she smiled sympathetically at him.

“Don’t worry, I’ll look after them. You ring your sister.” She said.

Derek thanked her before taking out his cell phone. He stood a little distance away, while he waited for Laura to pick up he watched the nurse talking to Jackson, he didn’t know what she was saying but it seemed to work in calming him down some.

“Der? Please tell me you’re not cancelling tonight? I mean I don’t care about seeing you but if Mom doesn’t get to see her grandkids soon she might pop a gasket.” The effect her voice had on him was ridiculous, the ball of tension in his shoulders loosened and he let out a deep breath.

“…Laura.”

“What’s wrong?” The teasing in her voice faded instantly. “What’s all the noise I can hear?”

“We’re at the hospital. Erica had a seizure. I… Could you come?” He ran a hand over his eyes tiredly.

“What!? Is she okay? No wait, of course she’s okay or you wouldn’t have time to call me. I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.” He could hear the jangle of keys in the background and then the roar of her engine. “You get back to her, I’ll find you when I’m there okay?”

“Yeah, thanks.” He whispered before hanging up and making his way back to his kids.

“Your sister on her way?” The nurse asked and Derek nodded.

“Okay, we’re going to move Erica up to paediatrics now and we’ll leave a note at the desk to let her straight up when she gets here. I’m Melissa McCall by the way.” Derek shook her hand, thanking her as she started disconnecting the bed from the wall. McCall, the name was very familiar.

“McCall? As in Scott?” He asked and she looked up in surprise.

“Yes, he’s my son, you know him?” She asked.

“I work at a dog shelter; he’s a vet so we have some cross over. I call him when we get a dog that’s really bad off.” Derek liked Scott. He was friendly and good with animals, not to mention with his kids, Erica and Jackson were practically in love with him.

“Wait! You’re Derek Hale! As in the Hale Pack? I should have recognised the names! Scott never shuts up about these two when he gets to see them!” Melissa smiled and Derek couldn’t help but smile back. Jackson perked up from where he had been curled around his sister.

“You’re Dr Scott’s Mom?” He asked and Melissa nodded. Derek could practically see the hero worship start in his son’s eyes before it got shut down by Jackson’s need to be cool. Ever since starting the fourth grade his son had been obsessed with being ‘cool’, Derek thought it had something to do with another fourth grader called Lydia but he made sure not to mention it. “Oh.”

“Yeah, you know, you’re a lot like Scott was when he was little! Minus the fangs of course.” Melissa laughed poking Jackson’s bottom lip and Jackson pouted.

“Not my fault I’m a wolf.” He muttered and Melissa shook her head.

“No of course not, I think it’s even cooler that you’re a wolf. Did you know there’s a whole field of medicine dedicated to finding out how werewolves heal so fast. A lot of our medicine comes from werewolves helping with research.” Melissa said brightly and Jackson’s face lit up.

“I can heal fast!”

“I bet you can!” Melissa laughed as they pulled into a ward that instantly made Derek’s head ache. There was so much colour and noise that for a second he was overwhelmed but he saw Jackson’s face light up in wonder as they were led to an empty bed which Erica was transferred onto waking her in the process. She looked around her with wide eyes before sitting up slowly, frowning as he head started to spin. “Careful Sweetie, I’m just going to go get the doctor, he’ll be here soon.”

“Be careful Erica, not too fast okay?” Derek said sitting down on the edge of the bed and petting her hair as Melissa left, Erica nodded but her eyes were flitting from bed to bed.

“Well, look here. Do we have a new visitor?” Derek looked up at the arrival of yet another doctor only to be shocked. The man was young, he couldn’t be older than twenty five, and yet he was already a doctor, but that wasn’t what shocked Derek the most. The doctor was wearing bright purple scrubs and had a fake beard strapped to his face.

“Yes, Dumbledore?” Derek snapped, what was this idiot doing messing around in the hospital.

“Ah, yeah, it’s Harry Potter day here in the ward. I, of course, am the most powerful wizard so I get to play Dumbledore.” The doctor grinned beneath the beard and Derek’s frown lessened when he heard Erica giggle behind him. “Now is it the little witch or wizard that I get to work my magic on today?”

“Witch!” Erica giggled and the doctor picked up the clipboard that had been strapped to Erica’s bed. His eyebrows rose in surprise before he put it down grinning at Erica.

“Okay then, most important of all: which flavour lollipop do you want?” The doctor held out a hand full of different coloured candy and Erica’s eyes widened massively before she chose a red one, the doctor turned to Jackson who was watching the candy jealously. “And how about our witch’s brave protector! Nurse McCall told me all about how helpful you were with your sister and I think that deserves candy!”

Jackson grabbed a blue one.

“What do you say kids?” Derek belatedly asked, he was kind of thrown by the doctor, but neither he nor his siblings had ever been treated at a hospital as kids, maybe this was how paediatricians acted.

“Thank you!” They chorused. While they were busy staining their mouths red and blue the doctor pulled Derek aside.

“First off, I’m Dr Stiles Stilinski but please call me Stiles.” Derek frowned. “Yeah I know, it’s a nickname, but my name’s too complicated to pronounce so I figure it’s easier to go by Stiles.”

“Okay, what about Erica? Is she going to be okay?”

“It says in the chart that this is her first seizure is that correct?” Stiles asked and Derek nodded. “Well, with cases of seizures in children your daughter’s age we recommend testing for epilepsy. It might not be the case, and I’d like to run some other tests as well to rule out some other conditions she might have which could have caused the seizure.”

“What sort of conditions?” Derek asked frowning.

“There are a few, the most common is diabetes. If that’s the case we can prescribe her medication, or a meal plan to manage the diabetes. Of course, we’ll find out what’s causing the seizures first before we start treating.” Stiles grinned but Derek was not happy, his daughter could have some sort of serious medical issue. “We’ll need to take some blood to test if that’s okay?”

Derek’s frown deepened but he nodded and Stiles’ turned back to Erica whose eyes had widened in fear at the thought of having her blood taken.

“Hey, hey now, no need to worry about that!” Stiles smiled widely moving closer to Erica. “It’s only a little bit of blood and it won’t hurt much I promise!”

“Much?” Jackson asked, Derek had always found it amusing and sweet how protective Jackson was over his sister. As a werewolf he never really felt pain for long and so he didn’t think about it, except in cases where it affected Erica.

“Yeah. I’m not gonna lie and say it won’t. But I promise it’ll only feel a bit like a pinch and then a bit like a bruise for a couple of hours. Is that okay?” Stiles looked between Erica and Jackson making sure to include both of them in the decision making. Jackson looked at Erica who nodded and Jackson sighed before nodding as well. “Great! And guess what; after you have blood taken or watch someone having their blood taken you have to have a lolly, its company policy!”

Their faces lit up at the thought of having another lolly even as Derek groaned thinking about the sugar rush they would be on if this was the reward for every test Erica needed done.

“Derek!” He spun to see his sister storming towards him, her face set in a worried scowl.

“Auntie Laura!” The cries from his children had a smile appear on her face as she got closer.

“What’s this I hear about my princess being ill?” She demanded nodding to Stiles who grinned back. “I’ll have you know I won’t allow it!”

“Auntie Laura I have to get my blood taken! Dr Stiles says it won’t hurt much! Is that true?” Erica asked practically bouncing in her seat to talk to Laura who pushed Derek out of the way and sat close to _his_ daughter.

“Of course it’s true! Good doctors never lie, and this one smells like sugar and chocolate so he’s got to be good!” Laura declared and Stiles laughed.

“Well, I’m gonna take a wild guess and say werewolf?” He asked and Laura grinned at him her teeth sharpening slightly in what Derek knew to be a challenge. Despite the fact that humans had been aware of werewolves for decades now, there was still a hell of a lot of discrimination and Derek and Laura were fiercely protective of his kids.

“What of it?” She asked.

“Nothing, nothing!” Stiles said holding his hands up in a peace making gesture even as he tilted his head back slightly. Derek’s eyebrows rose in surprise, it was obvious that this doctor had experience dealing with werewolves. “I’ve never had a werewolf patient before! It’s interesting!”

“Erica’s not a werewolf.” Jackson said rolling his eyes.

“Of course she’s not.” Stiles smiled at Jackson. “I was talking about you; I’ll have you know that anyone I give candy to is automatically considered my patient! I’m gonna look after you just as much as Erica while you’re here!”

Derek couldn’t help but admire the way Stiles was making sure to include Jackson in everything, if there was one problem Jackson had it was that he loved to be the centre of attention.

“Now back to Erica! Are you ready for your next lollipop?” Stiles asked and Erica nodded enthusiastically. “Brilliant! Let me just go get some more and my equipment and then we’ll see who between you and your brother can eat them faster!”

Stiles ducked out of the curtain.

“I like him!” Laura declared.

“Me too!” Erica giggled. “He’s funny!”

“He _does_ smell like chocolate.” Jackson said to Laura who grinned. Jackson had by far one of the best noses out of all of the pack and he was only a kid. There was no telling how great he’d be the older he got.

“It’s probably because he spends so much time handing out snacks.” Derek grumbled and Laura rolled her eyes at him.

“Admit it! You like him too! He’s brilliant with the cubs!” Laura ruffled their hair and Jackson growled pushing his hair back into place.

“Don’t call me a cub.” He grumbled, in a similar tone to his father not thirty seconds ago.

“Alright pup.” Laura grinned at the annoyed look on her nephew’s face but before Jackson could start pouting Stiles was back with a pot full of lollies and a packet of what Derek assumed was supplies to take blood, which smelled extremely sterile.

“Alright, now Erica, I need you to concentrate really hard while I’m doing this okay.” Erica’s eyes widened slightly in fear again and she paled. “You really need to think about which colour you want. Now personally I would go for green myself, I’m a big fan of sour apple, but let’s not discount pink. I mean, who doesn’t love strawberry!... of course purple is good too…”

Erica was so wound up in Stiles’ commentary on the different flavours of lollipops that she didn’t even flinch when the needle entered her arm. Derek flinched for her but kept himself from taking any of her pain. He knew it wasn’t good for either werewolf or human kids to go without pain, if he took their pain every time they had a scraped knee then they wouldn’t learn from falling over. Of course, if he took a little bit of the pain after a while from Erica, it was only justified! Jackson healed within minutes; it was only fair, no matter what Peter said.

“All done!” Stiles chirped, “Now the real question, which colour?”

“Green please!” Erica asked politely while prodding her arm gently, her face lit up. “It does feel like a bruise!”

“Can I have a red one please?” Jackson asked, all sweetness when it was about candy. Derek almost rolled his eyes but it was too cute to be angry at.

“Alright, and what colours do Auntie and Dad want?” Stiles turned to them and Derek frowned. “Come now, I promised that anyone who had blood taken or watched someone having blood taken got a lollipop. What colour do you want?”

“Ooh! Blue please!” Laura squealed, Derek did roll his eyes this time. She really was a big kid.

“And Dad?” Stiles held out the pot of sweets to Derek who raised an eyebrow.

“I’m good.” He said and the doctor rolled his eyes.

“Come on! No one can resist candy!” The bowl shook in front of his nose.

“No thank you.”

“Oh come on Sourwolf! Take one!” Stiles shoved a green lolly into his hand. “Here’s a sour apple, to go with your grumpy face!”

Derek’s mouth hung open as Stiles turned back to his kids. Laura was laughing so hard she could barely breathe and Derek glared at her. 

“There’s no need for your Dad to be grumpy right kids? Erica you feel fine now don’t you?” She nodded, “And we’re gonna find out what happened before and then you’ll be right as rain.

“Yeah Dad! There’s no need to be worried! I feel fine now!” Erica cheered and Jackson nodded as if he had never been worried.

“Yeah Dad!”

“Yeah Derek!” Laura joined in and Derek’s glare intensified.

“Now, now, no picking on your Dad okay? I bet it was scary for a while there!” Stiles said sagely, and to Derek’s horror his kids looked at Stiles as if he held all the answers to the universe. “Now, we’re going to keep Erica overnight just in case and then we’ll so some tests in the morning. Jackson, if it’s okay with your Dad, would you like to sleep here too?”

Derek didn’t even have to think about the answer, there was no way he would separate his kids and it wasn’t like he was going anywhere anyway.

“Fantastic!” Stiles said. “And look, you’re both in your peejays! No need to hospital gowns then! Let me tell you, they are the worst things in the world to wear!”

“Der, do you want me to go get some stuff from your apartment?” Laura asked and Derek forgave her instantly for the teasing. She was his best friend and he had never been more grateful to her.

“Yeah, thanks. Just some sweats and a top or something to sleep in, and the kids’ and my toothbrushes if you could?” Derek asked and Laura nodded.

“I’ll be back in a bit bro.” She punched his shoulder as she left making up for the sappy moment before.

“Alright now, I promised the kids that we’d watch the chamber of secrets before bedtime and as my newest patients you get to sit at the front!” Before Derek could say anything Stiles scooped Erica off the bed and carried her, with Jackson following, to an area Derek hadn’t noticed before. It was a little corner of the ward with a TV surrounded by beanbags. Most of the kids in the ward were already crowded there, with a few of the worse off ones in their beds which had been wheeled over to the corner.

Erica and Jackson were deposited in the middle of the beanbags and they instantly began chatting to the kids around them.

Stiles made his way back over to Derek who was stood by Erica’s bed with a frown on his face.

“Look, I meant what I said, while seizures can be scary, they are manageable. And that’s if it’s not a one off caused by low blood sugar or something!” Stiles said. Derek nodded. “We’ll do a test called an EEG tomorrow morning, it maps the electrical patterns in the brain and looks a bit weird, what with all the wires, but trust me, tell a kid they get to be a robot for an hour and they’ll get hooked up to anything!”

“…Thanks, for making the kids so at ease.” Derek said stiltedly.

“Dude! It’s my job! Seriously! And it helps that they are like literally the cutest kids I have ever seen! Like seriously did they just win the genetic lottery or what!? Anyway I’ve got a couple of kids to make rounds on, I’ll check back later before they get put to bed.” Before Derek could figure out whether he had just been given a compliment or not the doctor was gone. In the end he just shook his head and sat on the bed watching Harry Potter until it was time to put the kids to sleep.


	2. The Second Time

“Uncle Isaac! Look! Look! Dad, show him the picture!” Erica shrieked as she ran into the clinic, Jackson close behind her.

“Hey there princess, how’re you feeling?” Isaac asked swinging the young girl into his arms.

“I’m okay! Dad’s being _so_ annoying! He wouldn’t let me go to the park, he says I have to rest. I’m fine now Dad.” Erica stated rolling her eyes at her father who rolled his right back. It wasn’t his fault he was a little clingy, spending the night in hospital with your kid did that. “But look! Dad, show him the picture of me as a robot!”

Erica had had an EEG that morning and Derek had taken a photo to show her of the numerous wires that had been attached to her. He took out his phone and showed it to Isaac who grinned.

“Wow, you really look like a robot!” Isaac said dutifully and Erica went off on a spiel about how it was in the hospital and Dr Stilinski, who according to Erica (and Jackson though he wouldn’t admit it) was now the best thing since they invented chocolate sundaes.

“So… this Stiles guy seems nice.” Isaac said after the kids had run out of steam and were now sitting petting Betsy, one of the older dogs that had been in the shelter for years.

“Yeah, weird but nice enough I guess.” Derek said shrugging. Isaac gave him an odd look. “What?”

“Just… from you that’s a hell of a compliment.” Isaac said. “I mean, when you first met me you described me as ‘an annoyance’.”

“Maybe that’s because you were.” Derek shot back and Isaac laughed.

“I’m adorable and you know it!”

“Don’t we all.” Isaac jumped and spun around to face the new entry into the shelter.

“Dr McCall!” He blushed to the roots of his hair and Derek didn’t even bother trying to hide his smirk.

“How many times have I told you to call me Scott?” Isaac stammered out something in response but it was drowned out by Erica’s squeal.

“Dr Scott!” She cried abandoning Betsie and running over to the vet who grinned at her. Jackson followed at a slower pace but Derek could see the excitement at seeing the vet.

“Hey there kids, what’re you doing here? Shouldn’t you be in school?” Scott asked.

“We got the day off because we were in hospital last night.” Jackson said proudly.

“Hospital!?” Scott exclaimed.

“Yeah, she had a seizure last night. We all spent the night at the hospital.” Derek said.

“Are you okay?” Scott asked Erica who nodded.

“Yep, Dr Stiles was really nice and kept giving us candy!” Erica chirped.

“Stiles...? Wait a second, you’re Growly McScruff!” Scott’s mouth dropped open and Derek frowned. “No! No! It’s just, I know Stiles, we went to school together. He’s like my best friend.”

“Oh.” Growly McScruff huh. He ignored the slight jump in his heartbeat at the fact that Stiles had mentioned him and he cursed in his head when Isaac gave him an odd look at it.

“That’s a really good nickname for Dad.” Jackson stated narrowing his eyes at his father who stuck his tongue out at him. “But it is! You’re all growly and grouchy! And your skin is all rough especially when you go wolfy!”

Derek glared at him but then Scott and Isaac started chuckling and he knew he was fighting outnumbered. He went to the back to feed the dogs and left Isaac and Scott to their ‘non-flirting’.

“Derek!?” He had barely been gone five minutes when the panicked voices had him back to the main office.

Erica was on the floor seizing, Derek fell to the floor beside her ignoring the protest of his knees at the impact. Jackson had her hand in his and was pale and panting at the amount of pain he was taking away. Derek pulled his son away and grabbed her hand instead, Jackson whined but Derek kept a firm arm around his shoulder, kids were much worse at regulating how much pain they took.

“Call 911!” He snapped at Scott but the vet was already on the phone. Isaac dropped to the floor besides Erica and grabbed her other hand leeching away what pain he could. They stayed there until the shaking had stopped. Then Derek pulled her into the recovery position until Scott came back from the phone.

“They said to bring her in the car.” Scott said and Derek nodded gathering his daughter in his arms and carrying her out to his Camaro. Jackson followed with his hand buried in Derek’s trouser leg.

“Do you want me to come? I can hold her.” Scott said his brow creased into a frown and Derek nodded, he had just been thinking out the logistics, it would be much easier with a second pair of hands.

“Thanks.” He said shortly and Scott nodded waiting for Jackson to climb into the back of the car before slipping into the seat himself. Derek passed his unconscious daughter to him and Scott held her carefully. He pulled back and turned to Isaac.

“Hey, don’t worry about things here I got it covered.” Isaac said firmly and Derek nodded patting Isaac’s shoulder for a second. The contact helped to calm him some, Isaac had been pack since he was in high school, and Derek was in college, he was the closest thing Derek had to a brother. “Oh! Derek! Three minutes, forty seconds!”

“What?” Derek asked incredulous for a few long moments.

“It’s how long she was under, I counted. You know, I thought that was something that we were supposed to do.” Derek felt a wave of gratitude and pulled Isaac into a quick hug.

“Thanks.” He said leeching comfort from his pack brother and Isaac just hugged him tightly before pulling away.

“I’ll see you tomorrow okay? I imagine Talia is not going to let you get away with not seeing her grandkids in so long after this.” Isaac smiled and Derek nodded before getting into the Camaro.

Derek took off like a bat out of hell. He reached the hospital in record time, thanking whatever god was up there that he didn’t get caught by a police cruiser because he definitely broke a few speed laws back there.

Derek swung into a parking space just as Erica started to come around and Derek pulled her into his own lap.

“Hey there sweetheart, how’re you feeling?” He asked siphoning off the last of her pain. She shook her head and buried her face into his shoulder.

“Don’t like it Dad.”

“Okay, okay, we’re gonna go back to the hospital alright? And they’re going to check you out again okay?” Derek asked and she shook her head.

“…Wanna go home.” She murmured and his hands tightened on her shoulders.

“I know, but we need to see if everything’s okay.” He felt a small hand clutch at his shoulder and saw Jackson standing up in the back, he opened his arm and his son crawled forward until he was sitting on Derek’s lap too.

“Hey Erica, I know you don’t want to, but it’ll make your Dad and Jackson feel better, won’t it?” Scott said and Erica looked up at her father who nodded before she turned her eyes to her brother who just tightened his grip on her.

“…Okay…” She said softly before resting her head back on Derek’s shoulder. Derek shot a grateful smile at Scott before climbing from the car, both of his children folded into his arms.

Scott offered to take Jackson but Derek shook his head, his son’s hands were clenched so tightly in his jacket that Derek didn’t think that he could get him to let go even if he wanted to.

Derek strode into the A&E quickly and was told to take a seat and wait for a doctor. Derek barely kept from shifting, he had a long night, an extremely long night, and a stressful morning of worrying about the tests Erica was going through and he just wanted to take his kids home and sleep. Instead he forced his fangs back and sat stiffly in one of the uncomfortable chairs they had in the waiting room. Scott sat down beside him and Derek let Erica and Jackson slid down until they were more resting on him and less him holding them up.

They waited for half an hour before they were finally called into an examination room and Derek could feel little cuts opening and closing on his palm where his claws kept appearing and receding. He hadn’t felt this out of control in a long time. They sat in the examination room for twenty more minutes waiting on a doctor. Scott kept glancing nervously at Derek but Derek didn’t care, he was too focussed on not ‘wolfing out’.

“Hello I’m Doctor Daehler, what seems to be the problem?” Derek disliked this doctor instantly on sight. He smelled wrong, all clinical, and the way he ignored Jackson and Erica and only talked to Derek had his hackles raising, he even saw Scott bristling at the bedside manner.

“My daughter, Erica, had another seizure. She was in here last night for the first time. This one lasted three minutes and forty seconds.” Derek reminded himself to buy Isaac a cake for remembering to count, and not just any cake, one of those red velvet monstrosities from that bakery across the street.

“Three minutes, forty seconds.” Daehler stated dryly, noting it down on the clipboard, he had yet to actually acknowledge the kids. “And do you have any idea what set it off? Heat? Light? Any particularly strong smells?”

“No, we weren’t anywhere she hasn’t been before.” Derek said stiffly and Daehler nodded, again noting it down on his clipboard.

“Alright. I’m going to go consult our charts from last night before I make a decision.” Daehler was gone in the next moment and Derek felt his claws rip through the paper tissue on top of the bed he was perched on.

“Dickhead.” Jackson stated and Derek looked at him in shock.

“Jackson! Language!” He snapped but Jackson didn’t look reprimanded at all, he just rolled his eyes.

“You were thinking it too.” He muttered and Derek glared at him before turning the glare to Scott who was chuckling under his breath.

“Daddy, are you okay?” Erica asked softly, she reached out and grabbed one of his hands running her fingers gently over the claws until they receded.

“I’m fine, I’m just a little bit worried about you, that’s all.” Derek said and Erica nodded.

“I feel better now.” She said, but she didn’t look it and Derek could hear the lie. She was pale and had a thin sheen of sweat on her forehead, she was still shaking minutely.

The door opened without knocking and Derek tensed at the sight of Daehler. The doctor didn’t seem to notice anything.

“So, your daughter is a human born from a werewolf? She’s showing signs of a possible epilepsy disorder and has been ruled out for diabetes and any viruses associated with causing seizures?” Derek nodded tersely. He didn’t like how this doctor had started with the werewolf thing; it wasn’t even relevant to Erica. Daehler frowned down at the clipboard before muttering under his breath. “Surely the bite would just clear her off all of this…”

“What did you say!?” Derek growled leaping to his feet. Daehler looked up in surprise before taking a few steps back at Derek’s wolfed out features.

“I just meant that surely your alpha could just bite her and then you wouldn’t be bothered by trips to the hospital.” Derek bared his teeth and took a step towards Daehler. Scott hurried between them, putting his hands on Derek’s shoulders and trying to push him back.

“Derek, man, calm down.” He said in the same tone of voice he used on the injured dogs they had back at the shelter. Derek shrugged him off like it was nothing.

“Calm down!? You want me to calm down!? This idiot obviously knows nothing about werewolves or the fact that all recorded cases of bites under fifteen have killed the recipient! You want me to calm down when he just suggested I kill my daughter!?” Derek took another step towards Daehler who fled the room. Derek felt a low growl building in his throat and started pacing. He knew he needed to calm down, he could see the fear on his kids faces, but the idea of getting his Mom to bite Erica, when she was this young, it had his heart in his throat.

“You said what!?” The voice came from outside the room and Derek tilted his head frowning, was that Stiles? “Jesus Matt, you are such a dickhead!”

Derek frowned and the door opened revealing Stiles, looking bedraggled and tired.

“Hey, it’s my two favourite patients. I have to say that I was hoping I wouldn’t see you again so soon.” Stiles stated, ignoring Derek for the moment and turning all of his attention to the kids. He pretended to look angry until the kids looked around at him and he winked. “Now, let’s see about getting you better alright Erica?”

“Told you he was a dickhead.” Jackson muttered and Derek let out a harsh chuckle running his now declawed hands through his hair. “Dr Stiles thinks so too.”

“Yeah I do.” It wasn’t very professional but Derek felt a wave of gratitude that Stiles didn’t think Derek was out of line. Stiles looked over to Derek as he started checking Erica over. “If I was in here I probably would have punched him in the jaw so well done on the restraint.”

“What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be off shift?” Derek asked and Stiles flushed red before glancing at Scott.

“I texted him on the ride here. I thought he’d want to know, sorry.” Scott looked uncomfortable but Derek was almost ready to hug him. If it weren’t for that text, Erica would have to be treated by an ignorant bigot.

“You… you didn’t have to come in.” Derek said wincing at how harsh he sounded; it wasn’t his fault that like Laura said: his default was monotone.

“Please! If I hadn’t been asleep when that text came through I would have beaten you here! I couldn’t let my favourite patients be treated without me now could I?” Stiles grinned at Erica and Jackson who were now looking so relaxed that if he didn’t know better he’d think they weren’t at a hospital at all. “So, Jackson. Mind telling me what happened?”

“Erica had another seizure.” Jackson said frowning. “She was shaking again and didn’t stop for… three minutes, forty seconds?”

Jackson looked to Derek to make sure he got the time right and Derek nodded, smiling at his son.

“Wow, that’s really good that you counted this time. Really responsible.”

“Uncle Isaac counted, not me.” Jackson looked angry that he hadn’t been the one to be responsible but Stiles just shrugged.

“Yeah, but you remembered the time. That’s really important. I tell you what, I bet that if, god forbid, Erica has another one, you’ll be the one to count and then you can tell me how long okay?” Jackson puffed up at having such an important job but Derek frowned, he didn’t like the fact that Stiles seemed to be expecting another seizure.

“Okay kids, I need to go get Erica’s chart and some candy, any preference on colour?” Erica and Jackson shouted out their requests and Stiles grinned widely. “Good choices, good choices. Now, is it okay if I take your Dad with me? I need to chat with him about some really boring medical stuff, I bet Scott doesn’t mind looking after you for a few minutes?”

Stiles glanced at Derek to make sure it would be okay. He nodded and thanked Scott who went over to the kids already starting to tell them a funny story from the vet’s office. Derek followed Stiles outside; he glared at the floor when he noticed that a lot of the people were giving him suspicious looks, as if he was going to go on a rampage in the middle of a hospital. He cursed himself for his lack of control and hated that he was now one of the reasons people were suspicious of werewolves.

“Hey, don’t worry about yelling. I would have done a hell of a lot worse had I been in there with him. Matt’s always been a bit of a dickhead, I just never realised he was a racist dickhead.” Stiles’ mouth was turned down as if even talking about the other doctor was making him mad.

“Thanks, you know, for coming in when you’re not on shift and everything.” Derek said awkwardly and Stiles just grinned, shaking his head.

“Dude, like I said last night, those kids are the most adorable kids in like the whole town. Now I’ll be right back.” Stiles hurried off to the desk and back with a clipboard in hand. He frowned down at it and crossed out a few things. Derek was willing to bet it was what Daehler had written down.

“Does Erica have epilepsy?” Derek asked once Stiles was back beside him and Stiles looked up biting his lip, Derek gave himself a mental slap when he realised that his eyes were drawn to the doctor’s mouth.

“It’s looking more and more likely. You said that she was somewhere she’d been before?” Stiles glared down at the charts. “Matt didn’t even think to include where you were.”

“We were at the shelter.” Stiles looked up raising an eyebrow. “It’s where I work; I thought the kids could do with a day off school so I took them with me. They’ve been there tonnes of times before.”

“Okay, so the fact that she had a seizure in a different place from before means that it probably isn’t an environmental thing. Especially since the places are so different in environment.” Stiles said noting something down on the charts. “I don’t really want to medicate Erica until I can get a clearer picture though. Too many doctors are willing to just dose up the kids and leave it at that. I know it’s scary when she has a seizure, but the more she has the bigger picture we get. If she has another one in the next week then we can start looking into some prevention methods, but she’s only had two so it might be that it’s just something that happens now and won’t happen again.”

“So, all I can do is wait?” Derek asked, he hated waiting. His mother was the patient one; he was a lot more like his dad.

“I’m afraid so. But trust me. It’s better to wait than to put your daughter through a series of medications to find the right one or even worse; surgery, only to discover at a later date that she isn’t even epileptic.” Derek nodded; he could be patient if it meant Erica got better treatment.

“So what can I do in the mean time?” He asked.

“Well I suggest taking her home, if she has another one we’ll take her for another EEG and do a few more tests. But right now I think rest and a calming environment is what’s best. Both for you and her.” Stiles smiled at him and Derek nodded clenching his fist. “Also don’t worry about Matt, he’s always been a smarmy bastard, no one here’s going to hold your reaction against you.”

“Thanks.” Derek said before pushing back into the room, he really needed to be with his kids, he could feel himself getting agitated the longer he was away from them.

“Now Erica, Jackson. I want you to take care of your Dad okay? He’s had a rough couple of days.” Stiles grinned at him when Erica and Jackson promised. He took out a prescription pad and started writing. “I recommend a good helping of pizza tonight followed by lots of cuddles.”

Erica giggled and Jackson smirked when he handed them the paper. Derek just glared at the both of them.

“We promise Dr Stiles.” They chorused and Derek just sighed, picking them both up into his arms. Even Jackson, who was usually so independent, just snuggled into his neck.

“Thanks for everything, you too Scott.” Derek said and Scott just shrugged smiling. “Do you want a lift back to the vets?”

“Nah, that’s okay. Stiles can give me a lift home.” Derek looked between the two of them.

“You two live together?” He asked and Stiles grinned.

“Unfortunately yes, we couldn’t afford not to, I mean you should see the way this guy eats! If I wasn’t there to monitor his chocolate intake he’d be the size of a house!” The kids giggled and Derek couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face.

“Please! This coming from the guy who thinks curly fries are a miracle sent by God!” Scott complained.

“They are! Curly fries are heaven-sent I tell you! I bet Erica and Jackson feel the same too! I mean come on guys; you have to agree with me?” The kids nodded still giggling and Derek just shook his head. He shifted his kids around a bit before he could hold out a hand to Stiles.

“See you around.” He said and Stiles seemed at a loss for words since he just nodded.

Derek walked out of the hospital, taking care to glare at anyone who even looked at them wrong. He bundled his kids into the back of his care and when they got home the first thing he did was order a pizza, then he rang through the whole of his family to let them know that everything was fine and that they could all meet up tomorrow. Once that was taken care of, he put on the Avengers movie, it was Erica’s favourite, and they all sat around for the rest of the day cuddled together on the couch.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on tumblr [here](http://pumpkinsparks8616.tumblr.com)


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